Opening Night brings a reality check

Celtics conquer Sixers, Warriors whack Lakers as finals teams dominate

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NBA Champs for a Reason: After the ring ceremony, Golden State squashed the Lakers and reminded the league who is boss

East Champs for a Reason: Celtics take down Sixers behind Jayson and Jaylen, but read below why we're most excited about one Philly player...

Extension time: Some young players got 4-year extensions, some will enter free agency, but our favorite broadcasting team will be together for years to come...

Hey, hey, hey! We had the first two games of the NBA season last night, and some individual performances have us incredibly excited to see these guys for 81 more games. Who would've thought the Finals teams would both win tonight? Sometimes simple choices are ... simple.

Also, every Thursday throughout the season, we’ll be hosting our Twitter Spaces talking hoops with the Enjoyers. Each week we’ll be joined by some notable special guests ... come hang out tomorrow night! Now, let's talk hoops.

Opening Night

Celtics top 76ers 126-117

Overall: Before the action started, the night was already special, as Boston held a beautiful memorial ceremony for Bill Russell. Though it was tied at halftime, the Celtics pulled away in the second half by means of a three-point barrage and solid defense on Joel Embiid (26 points, 6 turnovers).

76ers: In addition to 7 assists and 8 rebounds, James Harden scored an efficient 35 points on 5-9 from three and 12-12 from the free throw line, his highest scoring output in a 76ers uniform. With an incredibly tight handle, dropping three different defenders, and going to his signature stepback often, we witnessed the closest thing to prime Harden since he left Houston.

Celtics: On Boston’s end, Jayson Tatum looked like he will repeat last year’s First Team All-NBA season. His 35 points and 12 rebounds were impressive, but even more impressive was the new sense of strength with which he drove. Jaylen Brown also tacked on 35 points and made some tough shots to boost the C’s above the Sixers in the second half. Plus, Malcolm Brogdon (16 points on 7-11 FG) is gonna be an absolute gem for them this year.

Warriors whack Lakers 123-109

Before tip-off, the Warriors held their ring ceremony, which featured some hype moments, a new Jordan Poole meme, and Steph Curry bringing attention to the Brittney Griner situation. In the game, Curry put up 33 points and 8 assists, while LeBron James poured in 31 points, 14 boards, and 8 assists, and Anthony Davis had 27 points.

Simply put, when watching these two teams for 48 minutes, you can see why one is the reigning champion; and the other missed the play-in. Their styles of play are just so different; all five players on Golden State move fluidly off pindown screens and back cuts, while the Lakers' offense is a series of LeBron James iso’s, Anthony Davis post-ups, and general stagnancy.

The Warriors broke the game open in the 3rd quarter in signature Golden State fashion, outscoring the Lakers 32-19. Though the Lakers went on a scary run in the 4th, Steph pulled some absolute WIZARDRY, and the Dubs secured the W.

Market Watch

Welcome to Enjoy Basketball’s Market Watch! This segment will appear on the first and third Wednesday of every month. Think of it as a market watch of the NBA player/team/coach stock market. We are going to be doing some "buy low's" for players who we think will increase their "return on investment" and some "hold for value" where we think they'll maintain their level of play. Let's have some fun with it!

Buy Low: Ben Simmons

Honest question: why can't Ben Simmons be an all-star this season? Ben has been an all-star in all three of his last healthy seasons, even with the criticism of his shooting and half-court offense. He doesn't have to transform into some 20+ PPG scorer — in his all-star seasons, he's averaged 16 points. With Brooklyn's plethora of shooting from Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry, and Joe Harris, Simmons has the most room to attack the rim he's ever had. We are buying low on a perennial all-star who many consider outside the top 10 point guards in the league.

Hold - James Harden

Harden wowed in his season opener, especially with Joel Embiid struggling. Though they sometimes forced his iso-ball, he constantly shook defenders and created space for himself, which seems sustainable. Plus, he got fouled on three different 3-point attempts. What is more prime Harden than that?

Buy Low - Phoenix Suns

It's only human, but people tend to overreact to anomalies and drama because they’re unusual and therefore, memorable. The catastrophic Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at home and a morbid NBA media day obviously reflect poorly on the Suns. However, a game from five months ago and arbitrary vibe readings should not indicate that the Phoenix Suns will decline from a 64-win powerhouse to a middle-of-the-pack West team. We’re buying low on the Phoenix Suns because their reputation is in the gutter, but there’s no reason they can’t still be a top-three seed out West.

Latest NBA News

Extensions: Inside The NBA and young guys extended, others enter RFA

Inside the NBA: The crew of TNT's Inside The NBA signed long-term extensions. Thankfully, we'll get to see more antics between Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O'Neal, and Charles Barkley for years to come!

Players extended: The Atlanta Hawks signed De'Andre Hunter to a 4-year/$95 million deal. The former 4th overall pick plays stout defense and has improved as a scorer and shooter, but the Hawks are definitely hoping for more offensive progress. Other deals include Nassir Little signing for 4-year/$28 million with the Trailblazers and Brandon Clarke for 4-year/$52 million with the Grizzlies.

The interesting deal, however, is Kevin Porter Jr. with the Rockets. With character problems and polarizing play, KPJ's contract situation was in flux. Even after signing this extension, it somehow still is; due to its highly unique structure.

The un-extended: Other members of the 2019 draft did not get extended. Instead, Rui Hachimura, Cam Johnson, PJ Washington, and Grant Williams will enter restricted free agency next offseason.

James Bouknight arrested

Hornets guard James Bouknight was arrested for driving while impaired on Sunday night in Charlotte. Police reports say the 22-year-old guard was found unconscious in a parking deck with a handgun. Weirdly, Bouknight joins Miles Bridges and Montrezl Harrell as the third Hornet to receive criminal charges this offseason. Let's hope this all gets resolved soon, one way or another.

Celtics Bill Russell jerseys

The Celtics' City Edition jerseys pay homage to the late and great Bill Russell, and they're COLD! The font on the front is inspired by a historical Boston restaurant, Slade’s Bar & Grill, which Bill Russell owned in the 1960s. The jersey also features 11 gold diamond symbols down either side of the uniform representing Russell’s rings.

Good Reads

Daryl Morey Changed the Game, but He Still Hasn’t Beaten It - Kevin O'Connor (The Ringer)

N.B.A. Season Preview: Injuries and Drama Are the Wild Cards - Scott Cacciola, Sopan Deb, Tania Ganguli, Dorothy J. Gentry, Victor Mather, and Kris Rhim (The New York Times)

NBA Season Preview: Basketball’s Melting Pot - Eric Prisbell (Sports Business Journal)

Signing Off

Basketball is BACK, people! With the first 2 NBA games down, we can't wait for the remaining 1,228! Buckle in.

Peace,

-Conor Geelan

Trivia Answer: The answer to Monday's trivia is Xavier Henry! The former Kansas Jayhawk led the Lakers in scoring the last time the Lake Show played their first road game against Golden State. That's maybe our hardest trivia ever...

Trivia Question: Which NBA number has been retired the most? (ex: the #50 has been retired twice, for Zach Randolph and David Robinson)